Detachable box lock



Oct. 2, 1956 E. L. SHARP DETACHABLE BOX LOCK Filed June 17, 1955 11 I r 10 J 12 FIfiHEJ. 2 18 INVENTOR:

.1:. BY gg m AIIORNE x DETACHABLE BOX LOCK Ewing L. Sharp, Beverly Hills, Calif.

Application June 17, 1955, Serial No. 516,150

6 Claims. (Cl. 220-55) This invention relates to locking devices for containers and has particular reference to detachable locking means for the type of boxes used by fishermen for the storage of artificial bait, such as minnows, spoons and other lures having fish hooks and feathers thereon.

Many different types of detachable locking devices have been introduced but such devices as have come to my notice have not been found satisfactory for the purpose of such storage for the reason that elements of the devices project into the boxes to catch the feathers and hooks of the lures stored therein. It has been proposed to provide means for covering such projecting elements, but this not only adds to the cost of the box but also reduces the capacity of the box.

Lure boxes, to be acceptable to fishermen, must be of a size and shape to be conveniently carried in the pocket and the outer surface of the box must be smooth and even without projections of any kind. Some detachable box locks of the type herein considered have been made and they have portions of the locking devices projecting from the surface of the boxes to interfere with convenient and safe handling of the boxes. It has been proposed to provide external covers for these projecting portions but this renders the operation of mounting and detaching the locking devices rather dilficult besides adding materially to the cost of producing the boxes.

It is in view of the foregoing the object of the present invention to provide a detachable box lock which is simple, inexpensive, easy to mount and to detach, convenient to operate and free from the objectionable features above outlined. To this end, the invention consists in the combinations herein fully described and drawings are hereto appended in which a preferred form of the invention is illustrated.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an open box showing the manner in which the device of the invention is mounted in position within the box;

Fig. 2 is a substantially corresponding front view of the box with the cover thereof slightly elevated;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the front portion of the box showing the manner in which the latch member of the invention is mounted therein; and

Figs. 4 and 5 show this member as it appears when removed from the box.

The box illustrated in the drawings is of conventional shape, including a bottom or tray 1 and a cover 2 mounted on hinges 3 at the rear upper edge thereof. The box is composed of plastic material of sufficient strength and resilience and which is not affected by Water or the wet fishy substances adhering to the artificial bait stored in the boxes and to the hands of the fishermen handling the boxes. Ribs 5, 6 project from the inner surface of the front wall 7 of the box bottom and the opposed side surfaces of these ribs are at 8, 9 shown notched to provide guides for the latch member 10. This member which is of similar resilient water and fish juice resisting plastic nited States Patent material consists of a back plate 11 of a size and thick- 2,765,096 Patented Oct. 2, 1956 ice ness to fit snugly within the notches 8, 9 of the ribs 5, 6 of the box. A latch stop 12 projects from the front surface of the plate through an opening in the front wall and the front outer end of this stop is upwardly inclined as best shown at 13 in Fig. 5. A lip 15 extends downward from the front edge of the cover to lodge within a recess 16 of the box front when the lid is swung into closed position. During this closing movement, it is found that the lower edge of the lip will contact the inclined surface of the stop and will force the stop inwardly to permit the lip to pass into the recess 16. A passage 17 is cut through the lip of a diameter snugly to receive therein the stop 12 .-when the cover is fully closed. The resilience of the plate will now cause the stop to slip into this passage firmly to lock the cover in position.

A knob 18 projects forward from the plate 11 through a perforation 19 of the box front wall. When it is desired again to open the box, it is merely required to press this knob inwardly to cause the stop to recede from the passage through the box wall to release the cover for opening movement. Normally the latch member is held rigidly in position within the notches 8, 9 of the ribs 5, 6 by the projections 12 and 18. But in case it is desired to remove the member from the box it is merely required to slip a knife blade or some other thin, flat article between the plate 11 and the inner surface of the box front wall. Pressure applied to the plate will pry the plate away from the box wall, substantially as indicated in phantom outline in Fig. 3, to release the latch member for removal. Insertion of the member is effected by pushing the plate into the notches of the ribs 5, 6 until stopped by the knob 18. The plate is thereupon manually flexed to cause the knob and the stop 12 to clear the inner box wall surface and the plate is pushed downward into position.

It is seen from the foregoing description that I have provided a simple and inexpensive locking device which is convenient to operate and which does not extend into the box to become entangled with the objects stored therein or project outside the box to interfere with the handling thereof. There is no difficulty in molding the ribs 5, 6 and they, as well as the plate 11 fit so snugly against the inner wall of the box that all danger of entanglement is eliminated. The locking member 10 can also be molded in one operation without difiiculty.

While the device of the invention, as above outlined, is particularly adapted for use in connection with storage of artificial bait it will be understood that it is not limited to this particular use. Nor is it intended to limit the invention to the particular arrangements, proportions and shapes shown in the drawings but right is reserved to embody modifications thereof within the scope of the claims hereto appended.

I claim:

1. A box of resilient material having ribs projecting from the rear surface of the front wall thereof, the opposed side surfaces of said ribs being notched to provide vertically directed guides along the rear wall surface, there being two passages through the wall intermediate the ribs, a latch member including a plate of a length and thickness snugly to seat in said guides, a latch stop projecting from the plate through one of the wall passages, and a knob extending from the plate through the other passage, pressure against the knob causing the plate to flex thereby to withdraw the latch stop from the wall passage and the ends of the plate from the guides for removal of the member from the box.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which the plate of the latch member reaches to the upper edge of the box wall on which it is seated.

3. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which the outer surface of said ribs is smoothly rounded.

-4. A box of resilient material having a hinged cover on the box and a perforated lip downwardly projecting from the front edge of the cover, the box having ribs projecting from the rear surface of the front wall thereof, the opposed side surfaces of said ribs being notched to provide vertically directed guides along therear wall surface, there being two passages through the wall intermediate the ribs, a latch member including a plate of a length and thickness snugly to seat in said guides, a latch stop projecting from the plate through one of the Wall passages, the lip of the cover engaging said stop during closing movement of the cover to force the stop rearwardly thereby to flex the plate, resilience of the plate causing the stop to enter the lip perforation to lock the cover in closed position, and a knob extending from the plate through the other passage, pressure against the knob causing the plate to flex thereby to withdraw the latch stop from the wall passage and the ends of the plate from the guides for removal of the member from the box.

5. A device of the type set forth in claim 4 in which the end of the stop contacted by the lip is downwardly inclined.

6. A device as set forth in claim 4 in which the front wall of the box is recessed fittingly to receive therein the lip of the cover.

References Cited in the .file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,322,807 Metcalf Nov. 25, 1919 2,687,157 Cowan Aug. 24, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 2,212,440 Ireland Aug. 20, 1940 406,159 Great Britain Feb. 22, 1934 

